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Assaults, Bomb Threats, Nazi Salutes: Canada’s Courts Are Starting to Convict Those Targeting Jews
As antisemitic incidents continue to surge in Canada, courts have started convicting those targeting the Jewish community, including a man who threatened to bomb Toronto synagogues and another man who assaulted a woman as he tore down posters of children held hostage by Hamas. "The situation has created an atmosphere of fear for the Jewish community that is untenable," said Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, FSWC's Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy.
Man Sentenced to Year in Jail for Assault on Jewish Congregants
A Vaughan man was sentenced yesterday to 12 months in jail and two years of probation in connection with an antisemitic attack last year. The man was found guilty of two counts of assault for spitting on a Jewish couple, in addition to making antisemitic comments. FSWC presented a Community Impact Statement in court, which was cited at length by the judge during yesterday's sentencing.
York Police Investigating Pair of Hate-Related Incidents in Vaughan Investigators Say Are Unrelated
York Regional Police is investigating a pair of separate incidents in Vaughan, including antisemitic graffiti in the area of Bathurst Street and Major Mackenzie Drive West and a video on social media of a man wearing a keffiyeh outside an elementary school.
In a post online, FSWC confirmed that both disturbing incidents occurred near Anne Frank Public School, located in a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood. "Whether it’s a spray-painted swastika or an individual with a history of antisemitism filming an anti-Israel video in front of the school, these are targeted acts against the Jewish community," said FSWC.
Youth Charged Following Rash of Hateful Graffiti West of Ottawa
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with three counts of mischief after antisemitic and racist graffiti, including swastikas, was found in several locations in Renfrew County, west of Ottawa. "It's a hate crime, but to see it so vehemently denounced and the community coming together to express their disgust with what they saw was exactly what I hoped to see," said Arnprior Mayor Lisa McGee.
‘Home Sweet Home’: Edan Alexander Publishes First Social Media Post Since Release
Former hostage Edan Alexander, a dual Israeli-American citizen, posted his first Instagram story a day after his release from captivity in Gaza. "Home sweet home," he wrote alongside a photo of him wearing sunglasses and holding a beer bottle. The last living hostage in Gaza with US citizenship, Alexander spent 584 days in captivity.
Israelis Fleeing Post-Oct. 7 Instability Receive Warm Welcome from Jews in Chilly Toronto
Despite rising antisemitism in Canada, thousands of Israelis have moved to Toronto since the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre, with the number of Israelis applying for temporary residence in the country more than tripling in 2024. Some of the Israeli newcomers sat down with FSWC Senior Writer and Editor Robert Sarner to share their stories.
Bora Laskin, Canada’s First Jewish Supreme Court Justice, Gets His Own Heritage Minute
Historica Canada is spotlighting Bora Laskin - Canada’s first Jewish Justice, and later Chief Justice, of the Supreme Court - in a Heritage Minute short film airing nationally for Jewish Heritage Month. A brilliant and progressive legal mind, Laskin rose to the highest court despite facing antisemitism throughout his career, notably championing civil liberties and women’s rights.
Argentina's Top Court Finds 80 Boxes of Nazi Materials in Its Basement
Dozens of boxes of Nazi material confiscated by Argentinean authorities during World War II were recently rediscovered in the Supreme Court's basement, with the court stating that it identified "material intended to consolidate and propagate Adolf Hitler's ideology in Argentina during the Second World War." The court has invited the Holocaust Museum in Buenos Aires to participate in the preservation and inventory of the items.
Margot Friedlander, German Holocaust Survivor Who Landed a Vogue Cover, Dies at 103
Margot Friedlander, a Holocaust survivor who grew prominent in Germany after returning from the United States decades after surviving the Holocaust, has died at 103. The Margot Friedlander Foundation announced her death on Friday, just weeks after opening applications for a 25,000 euro prize to recognize efforts to fight antisemitism and promote democracy.
Report Antisemitism and News of Concern to FSWC
If you would like to report antisemitism or news of concern to Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, please email advocacy@fswc.ca.
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